Regional/indigenous vegetation that
is better able to cope with seasonal
changes and thus does not need artificial irrigation.

•

Where irrigation is needed, infrastructure to harvest and channel rainwater.

•

Space that supports social interaction
and community engagement with natural surroundings.

•

Land use and maintenance regimes that
protect and enhance biodiversity.

The challenge for most universities is to identify biodiversity on their campuses. Only when
that is done can they establish protection strategies that allow ecosystems and campus activities to co-exist harmoniously.
Several methods can be employed to
measure biodiversity:

Biodiversity protection
Biodiversity is sometimes the forgotten element
of sustainable campus operations as it is often
seen as having little to do with the activities of
a university. However, as evidenced time and
again, the disruption or destruction of key ecosystems can have wider impacts on the health
of a regional environment. For example, the
loss of natural balance can cause an increase in
pest species that then have an adverse effect on
the community.

• Formal eco-audits of the campus and its
surrounding region.
• Engaging the community – train people to
identify local species, and then establish a
process for them to report sightings or problems1.
• Research what is already known – look at
what academic research has been done on
the biodiversity of the region and/or use
the knowledge of long-term residents and
(where appropriate) the indigenous community.
Yale University:
www.sustainability.yale.edu/research-education/citizen-science

IARU - Green Guide for Universities – pathways towards sustainability

Green Guide for Universities – IARU pathways towards sustainability developed by 10 leading international universities and the think-tank Sustainia. Targets key issues to address, recommendations and lessons learned when making universities more sustainable. Learn from 23 inspiring real-life cases that have made a difference.